MINUTES

OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF A MEETING OF NORTHAMPTON BOROUGH COUNCIL HELD AT THE GUILDHALL, NORTHAMPTON, ON MONDAY THE FIFTEENTH DAY OF DECEMBER 2003 AT SIX THIRTY O’CLOCK IN THE EVENING

PRESENT: HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR Councillor T G Wire (in the Chair).

COUNCILLORS: Acock, Allen, Barron, Beardsworth, Boss, Caswell, Church, Concannon, Crake, Duncan, Edwards, Eldred, Evans, Flavell, Glynane, Hadland, Hill, B Hoare, Hollis, Hope, Lane, Larratt, C Lill, J Lill, McCutcheon, Malpas, Miah, B Markham, I Markham, Marriott, Mason, Massey, Matthews, Palethorpe, Pattersopn, Perkins, Pritchard, Robinson, Roy, Simpson, Steward, Tavener, Woods and Yates.

Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Mayor announced with deep regret the death of Jaswant Singh Bains, Councillor and past Mayor of the Borough and the Council held a minute’s silence as a mark of respect. Councillors Barron, Larratt and Church, on behalf of their respective groups, then paid tribute to his many years’ service and dedication to the Borough Council. The Mayor undertook to write to the family conveying the tributes made at this meeting.

1. MINUTES.

The minutes of the proceedings of the meeting of the Council held on 10 November 2003 were signed by the Mayor.

2. APOLOGIES.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors M Hoare and Taylor.

3. MAYOR’S ANNOUNCEMENTS.

The Mayor announced that he had been visiting the elderly in the town as part of the usual Mayoral Christmas duties.

He then thanked those Members who had attended the Gala Dinner and announced that the target figure for the Mayor’s Charity of £4,000 had been reached.

At this juncture, representatives from the Fire Service presented a cheque for £432.96 to the Mayor’s Charity as a result of their fundraising efforts.

4. DEPUTATIONS/PUBLIC ADDRESSES/QUESTIONS.

RESOLVED:

That Mr Paul Crofts and Mr Mervyn Felix be permitted to address the Council with regard to the notice of motion as printed on the Agenda and that Mr D Labrum be permitted to address the Council in respect of item 7 of the 8 December Executive Minutes, copies of which were circulated at the meeting.

5. COMMITTEE MINUTES.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE held on 17 November and 8 December, copies of which were circulated at the meeting. With regard to the 17 November minutes, item 17: disposal of Claremont and Beaumont Courts to Leicester Housing Association, Councillor Palethorpe, as the portfolio holder, issued a statement regarding a technicality which had cropped up on Schedule 3A of the Housing Act. He advised that tenants had the right in Law to move back into their properties when they had been refurbished and that this issue would be discussed by the Housing Overview and Scrutiny Committee later that week. A letter would also be sent advising tenants accordingly.

Mr Labrum then addressed the Council with regard to 8 December minutes, item 7, Corporate Financial Strategy Service Delivery Budget 2004/05 – 2006/07. His address was centred around the proposed winding up of the Highways DSO as proposed in the draft revenue budget. He referred to the fact that the Highways DSO had in the past made a profit and were on target to make a healthy profit this year. He referred to the essential work carried out by the Highways DSO in times of emergency and crisis as well as big town events. He went on to give further details regarding the DSO and asked for the issue to be readdressed.

With regard to item 7 of the 8 December minutes, Councillor Church moved and Councillor Barron seconded a motion of regret:

“This Council notes that the Highways DSO currently operate at a profit and is forecast to continue to do so. This Council regrets the proposal of the Executive to close Highways DSO as part of the annual budget review without providing any financial justification for the proposal. This Council requests the Executive to provide a full operational and financial justification for their proposal, for consideration by Scrutiny 4 Committee at their next meeting or to withdraw it from their budget proposals”.

The motion was carried.

NB Councillor Caswell abstained from voting.

With regard to item 7 of the 8 December minutes, Councillor Barron moved and Councillor Evans seconded:

“This Council regrets the recent comments from the Leader of the Council when he described the Northampton Balloon Festival as ‘staid and tacky’. The Balloon Festival is a great success for Northampton and is an event to be proud of. This event brings visitors to the town, is good for the local economy and tourism and is an occasion thousands within the town look forward to.

Noting that over 280,000 people attended the festival this year and in the light of the success of the Balloon Festival, also recognising the family occasion of the festival, this Council affirms its policy within any future review of a free Northampton Balloon Festival, open to all visitors to enjoy without the concern of affordability.”

Councillor Simpson then moved and Councillor Hadland seconded an amendment to the motion: “That the words in the second paragraph be deleted: “affirms its policy within any future review of a free Northampton balloon festival, open to all visitors to enjoy without the concern of affordability” and to insert instead the words: “will conduct a full review of the festival to ensure that it continues to provide open access to all at an affordable level”.

A vote was taken upon the amendment and carried.

A vote was then taken upon the motion as amended and carried.

A motion that the minutes of 17 November as presented be adopted was carried. The minutes of 8 December were then presented and it was moved that the recommendation under item 8 regarding Calculation of the Tax Base 2004/05 as detailed in the report be adopted.

Councillor Patterson moved and Councillor Marriott seconded an amendment to recommendation 5 as detailed in the report “to reduce the subsidy to 10% on the case of second furnished homes”.

This was dully adopted.

A motion that 8 December minutes as presented and the recommended item regarding Calculation of the Council Tax Base 2004/05 as amended, be adopted was carried.

At this juncture, the Mayor ruled pursuant to Procedural rule 6.12 that any such remaining business be deemed formally agreed. Therefore the remaining Overview and Scrutiny Committees and Planning Committee were moved en bloc and formally agreed.

6. NOTICE OF MOTION

Councillor Roy moved and Councillor Barron seconded:

"That Procedural Rule 3.4 be suspended to enable a vote to be taken on the following motion."

The motion was carried.

Councillor Roy then moved and Councillor Barron seconded:

“This Council comments the proactive work undertaken by Race Action Northampton and its pledge to build a better Northampton.

This Council welcomes this initiative as actively promoting the principles, equality of opportunity in the town and building better relations between people of different racial groups.

This Council encourages the council to become a co-signatory of the Pledge and to urge all partner agencies to sign the pledge as detailed below: We the people of Northampton and/or organisations working in Northampton are committed to working towards the elimination of racial discrimination, promotion of equality of opportunity for all promotion of positive relations between community groups.

Through this we aspire:

To build a town that celebrates racial, cultural, linguistic and religious diversity and delivers effective service to all communities by increasing awareness of the diverse cultures in our community.

To promote racial and social justice in Northampton through local scale community based and community led initiatives to tackle racism.”

At this juncture, Mr P Crofts, Chief Executive on Northamptonshire race equality Council and Mr M Felix of Race Action Northampton addressed the Council giving their support to the motion and seeking the support of the full Council.

The motion was then debated and voted upon and carried unanimously.

7. RECENT NOTICES OF MOTION

RESOLVED: That the report of the Chief Executive and Town Clerk, copies of which had been circulated with the Agenda, outlining the action taken following the six notices of motion passed at the last Council meeting on 10 November 2003 be received and noted.

8. TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ASKED UNDER COUNCIL PROCEDURAL RULE 5.2.

Councillor Malpas asked a question of Councillor Hadland in his capacity as the relevant portfolio holder whether he could explain the effects of the Government’s Local Government Grant Settlement on the council tax payers of Northampton. Councillor Hadland advised that he was in receipt of a letter regarding this issue and he briefly outlined the contents thereof. This showed the actual position regarding Northampton’s settlement, which was very disappointing.

9. MATTERS OF URGENCY WHICH BY REASON OF SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES THE MAYOR IS OF THE OPINION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED.

There were none.

The meeting concluded at 2030 hrs